What would you say if I told you that all the candy pictured below was free of corn syrup, hydrogenated fats, GMOs, artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives AND used gluten-free ingredients?
Not only that, but all those unwanted items were replaced with real cane sugar, real milk, more peanuts, and twice the cacao. UNREAL is a new brand that just launched and is on a mission to unjunk ‘junk’ food.
Last week, I had a chance to attend a blogger event and hear all about the company and its products firsthand. Samples abounded and tasting trays were constantly being restocked.
The whole concept of UNREAL was based on a young boy’s challenge to his father, trying to prove that candy wasn’t as bad as his father thought. Instead, he found out just how bad it was. The ingredients in question didn’t even affect the taste but made the candies cheaper to produce. Hmph!
That young boy was able to get in contact with lead chefs and scientists and, after some 8,000 recipes, they came up with winning combinations to rival Snickers, Mars, Reese’s Peanut Buter Cups, M&Ms, and M&Ms with peanuts. It all comes down to how they taste and if people, especially kids, will like it.
I wish other companies did this – it’s really tasty!
That was my daughter’s first reaction when tasting the UNREAL peanut butter cups. It echoed the oohs, aahs, and mmms at the luncheon and the overall reception is that they taste the same, if not better, than our ‘old’ favorites. These candies are REALLY good! You do notice that something is different, but in a good way. There’s a fresh aspect to them with no aftertaste. Better still, you don’t get that lingering guilt feeling of shoving X amounts of junk down your throat or those of your kids!
Here are a few tidbits I got from the Q&A portion:
- the cost, set by the retailers, will be the same as the other leading brands
- the shelf life is about the same, the key is in the packaging
- numerous taste tests have been done with most exclaiming, “These taste unreal!”
- packaging tests were done to appeal to everyone
- there are currently only 17 employees
- they will be available at CVS stores nationwide this week!
UNREAL hopes to rattle the current market and encourage the big brands to unjunk as well, changing the way we eat by offering better food choices. By October, they plan for their products to take up serious shelf space in some 30,000 stores. If all goes well, the company will expand into the soda and chip markets.
I really hope that happens. My family enjoyed all five varieties…maybe a little too much since we finished off a box of samples in a couple of days. The peanut butter cups were a bit too creamy for my taste but my daughter loved them. My husband was most skeptical of the bar similar to Snickers but after tasting it (well, chomping it up on under two minutes) he’s convinced of the quality as well.
So join the mission with us and get ‘unjunked’ with UNREAL!
UNREAL and TechMamas invited me to a luncheon event and provided sampler boxes for all in attendance.
22 comments
We’re a candy family, much to the detriment of my hips. This looks like great unjunked candy.
Too great…we’ve eaten 2-1/2 out of 5 boxes of samples we got. Eeek!
I want some!
I think they should be at CVS now wherever normal candy bars are.
“the cost, set by the retailers, will be the same as the other leading brands” This comment has me excited! I love to eat better but hate that it seems like the better-for-us options usually come with a hefty price tag. I can’t wait tot see these in the store!
They specifically said that they wanted it to be affordable and not at just places like Whole Foods. They have a rich investor 😛
“set by the retailers” – This is likely to be the downfall for this. I was excited by the product, but saw it recently in a regular drug store – each piece was priced at $4.99.
I guess if some people are willing to pay that, than be my guest. It was just enough to convince me to skip the candy altogether – probably the best outcome of all in any case.
That’s horrible, Jason. UNREAL was hoping it’d only be about $1, just like the other candy…
That is so awesome!
They’re so good but we have to keep reminding ourself that they are not actually good for you – they’re still candy. Too bad we thought of that after finishing off several boxes 😛
Hi-de-Ho, TerriAnn. You’re cool up there in ‘Frisco? You like Ghirardelli?
The UNREAL UNJUNKED site doesn’t allow comments/questions, UNREAL. I tried the red, the Milky Way imitator. I loved that it was less salt–so much of commercial candy is salt-filled. It had the hint of a chew and swallow of a protein bar, but it was okay.
I do like Ghirardelli but I like Unreal too 🙂
OH MY WORD!!! I am very picky about what we eat and make most everything from scratch….these just blew me away! Found a Walgreen at 3 for 2 dollars great price for a real treat. THANK YOU…you got this family as customers for life.
You’re welcome! I’m so glad your family liked them and got a great price too. Maybe they’ll branch out into the chips and soda soon!
Jason, check your prices again. The big giant bags are around $4. and the individual Unreal candy is like $1.19.
I think it depends on certain areas and stores. Glad you found reasonable prices, Jazzy!
Can you tell me if this company makes DARK chocolate items with nuts?
And if so, where can I buy them…I live on Long Island, NY.
THANKS
Michele
Is there a Walgreens nearby? They are carrying them. The big bags are 4.99. A bit more spendy than the other brands but worth it.
I just bought each variety for $1.19 each at a Staples in Boston, MA. Good stuff. I appreciate the lack of artificial coloring in the M&M type candy.
Wow, glad you got them at a reasonable price! I agree, it’s just nice to know those things are absent!
I really hope these take off and succeed. Saw them on the shelves while shopping for stuff to bring to the movies since theaters are an infamous ripoff for food. Without having heard anything about them, we bought the peanut m&m ones and the peanut butter cups without hesitation just loving the idea behind them. They were really good and I’d be happy replacing the “real” ones with these. My theater just started checking bags going into the screens so I will have to make extra efforts to smuggle these in until they start selling them (at a reasonable price!!)
Just bought a bag at BJ’s yesterday for about 4.49. The candy is excellent but I would prefer dark chocolate. I hope they produce the peanut butter cups in dark chocolate soon!
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